Wave pump



Patented Feb. 24, ,1948

UNITED STATES PATENT f OFFICE WAVE PUMP y Norman M. Lewis, ouen, Tex.

Application August 19, 1946, Serial No. .691,506

This invention pertains to marine equipment and more particularly -to wave motors, as they are generally termed.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved wave motor that will avoid one or more of the disadvantages and limitations of the prior art.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved wave motor that will be -capable of pumping water to a relatively high level by directly using 4the power of waves of the sea.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

For va better understanding of the invention reference is lmade to the appended drawings and the following description wherein a particular form of the invention is illustrated by way of example, while the scope of the invention is more emphatically presented in the claims.

In the construction indicated in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a wave pump embodying this invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation through the pump unit, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The structure in this particular form is relatively simple.- It consists of a wave lifting oat Ill adjustably attached to the end portion of a lever arm 'II pivoted on a fulcrum shaft I2 situated a sufficient length away to afford considerable le- Verage at its short arm I3. The short arm I3 operates a pump I5, A slot I6 in the arm I3 receives aconnection I4 attached to the hollow cylinder I1, and permits adjustment thereon. The fulcrum shaft I2 is journalled in a supporting post 21 that is solidly or rigidly built into the floor bottom of the sea. The pump consists of a hollow cylinder I1 having its upper end open, while its bottom is closed and fitted with a liftable check valve I8. The cylinder I1 reciprocates in a housing I9 which is likewise cylindrically hollow. The cylinder I1 operates through the open end of the lower portion 20 of the housing. The upper portion 2| of the housing I9 is tapered and leads to a small orifice 22, which is also closed by a liftable check valve 24. A conducting pipe 25 of restricted diameter leads from the orifice to some extraneous location where a reservoir tank 26 is preferably installed on the shore. The purpose of the pump is to force water from thesea 3 Claims. (Cl. 10S-69) l -2 through itself, to the reservoir and fill the latter.' The operation of the-'device is simple, The depression of thewaves at the proper location, allows the floatto ldrop under the action of gravity and rcarry the long lever arm Il with it. As it drops it raises the cylinder I1 with the water entrapped in it. y

The entrapmentof 'the water is caused by the closing `or the valve I8 asfthe water in the cylinder I1 presses down on 'it during lifting. The raising or the cylinder 'I1 reduces the space in the housing and4 :forces the entrapped water up through it and past the-check valve 24. From there it passes-through thepiping 25 to the reservoir 26. Wheny the waves Vraise the oat, the cylinder lI1 is lowered and its check valve I8 opens and more water enters to lill the cylinder I1 and casing I9. At the same time the valve 2d closes and keeps water in the piping 25 within it, so it cannot empty backwards. The iioat Il) is made adjustable on the lever arm II so it can vary its effect on the cylinder I1 and pump working parts. The leverage of the arm II is greater than the short arm I3, so that its effect is magnified and the water may be raised above the level of the sea actuating the waves that operate the float,

Since the waves are operating continuously, they tend to make the pump operate to accumulate a large amount of pumped water. This water may be used in any manner that suits the owners of the equipment. Since only the wave power is utilized, it is unnecessary to provide for the variations of the wave level and tide, as the waves have an underwater effect that will act upon the equipment even though the level changes. Since the water is entirely enclosed in the system, it does not matter materially whether it becomes submerged or not.

While but one general form of the invention is shown in the drawings and described in the specifications, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to this particular form or in any other way otherwise than limited by the scope thereof, as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be made that would use the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A wave motor comprising in combination, a rigid support for placement in water having a substantial wave action movement therein, a lever having a plurality of fulcrum holes for adjustably positioning the lever on said support and providing a relatively long arm on one side 3 and a relatively short arm having an elongated slot at the other side, an adjustable iloat mountable on said long arm, an adjustable connection on the short arm, a hollow cylinder adjustably attached to the elongated slot in the short arm 6 by said connection and operated thereby, a housing for the cylinder to operate in and carry Water entrained therein and raise it to a higher level than that of the operating waves, and a conductor for carrying ott` said pumped waterto 10 an extraneous location.

2. A wave motor comprising in combinatioma rigid support for placement in water having asubstantial Wave action movement therein, a

lever having a plurality of fulcrum holes for adjustably positioning the lever on saidfsupport andrproviding a relatively long arm on one side and a relatively short arm having an elongated slot at the other side, an adjustable float mountable on said long arm, an adjustable connection on the short arm, a hollow lcylinder' adjustably lattached to the elongated slot'in the-short arm by said connection and operated thereby, a housing for the cylinder to operatein and; carry water entrained therein and raise. it to aghigherglevel than that of thev operatingwaves, a conductor for carrying oil' said pumped water to an extraneous location, and valves; for; facilitating the entrainment of the ow `of Watering and out 4of the cylinder andhousing automatically with the Y 967,437

action of the Waves operating said lever. v,

3. A wave motor comprisingqin combination, a

rigid support for placement in water.having a substantial wave action movement therein; a

lever having a plurality of fulcrum holes forA adr,

justably positioning the lever on said support and providing a relatively long arm on one side and a relatively short arm having an elongated slot at the other side, an adjustable iioat mountable on said long arm, an adjustable connection on the short arm, a hollow cylinder adjustably attached to the elongated slot in the short arm by said connection and operated thereby, a housing for the cylinder to operate in and carry water entrained therein and raise it to a higher level than that of the operating Waves, and a conductor for carrying of said' pumped Water to an extraneous location, valves for facilitating the entraimnent of the flow of Water in and out of the cylinder and housing automatically with the action of the Waves operating said lever, and piping connecting the housing with the reservoir for providing a closed system between the sea and the reservoir, said housing being restricted to reduce the amount of Water during said reciprocation and increase its rate of flow through the piping. f

, NORMAN M. LEWIS.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED -STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Reynolds f Allg. 16, 1910 .7,971,343 lBarr Sept. 27, 1910 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,049 Great Britain 1886 556,782

France Apr. 19, 1923 

